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zzutak

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  1. Can't and won't happen, as no comic ever made has had interior pages 1-2-3-4 on a single wrap. An AF #15 interior wrap always contains interior pages N, N+1, 32-N, and 33-N (valid for N = 1 thru 15). Wrong again. Neither publishers nor CGC make exceptions for page content (story, activity, ad, letters, pin-up, etc) when counting wraps, leaves, or interior pages. CGC always defines the last interior leaf in a 12-cent Silver Age Marvel as Page 16 ( ), regardless of the number of non-story pages that precede it.
  2. grendelbo and jbpez doing their best impression of Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil.
  3. Another ultra-cool slate of books! The Board scored 29 bulls-eyes in Round 2 round (26% of all grades submitted, compared to 30% in Round 1). Here are a few other notable observations based on the data Jon reported above: Book #4 (Startling #45): A challenging book for the Board as a whole, with only 22% of the contestants at the same grade as CGC. Collectively, the Board was about one and one-half grade increments more critical than CGC (2.8 vs 3.5). Book #5 (Battlefront #15): The most challenging book for the Board as a whole, with only 11% of the contestants at the same grade as CGC. Collectively, the Board was nearly three grade increments more lenient than CGC (3.9 vs 2.5). Book #6 (Journey Into Fear #20): The easiest book for the Board as a whole, with 46% of the contestants at the same grade as CGC. Collectively, the Board was essentially identical to CGC (4.9 vs 5.0).
  4. An interior coupon is clipped from a two-sided leaf rather than a page. Hence, it'll affect both the pin-up page and whatever is on the other side of the pin-up page (probably an ad). CGC would normally deem such books to be INCOMPLETE. With an "otherwise" grade of 3.5, I doubt the book will receive a Qualified grade. However, it may receive a Universal grade as high as 1.0 and 1.5.
  5. It definitely will be deemed to be INCOMPLETE (large piece out of page 1 which affects story). I'm 100% in the 0.5 PR camp. However, I've seen several books like this receive CGC Universal grades of 1.0 FR. So you might get lucky.
  6. Exceptions for a "small amount of dried glue" date back to the founding of CGC. Initially, books from pedigreed Golden Age collections and other well-preserved GA specimens were the most likely candidates to receive this exception. Then came the occasional Silver Age mega-key and other unusual SA specimens. I've even seen a Bronze Age mega-key with this blue label notation. Smart money knows to buy the book, not the label.
  7. 1. A submitter cannot request that a book be awarded a Qualified Grade. 2. Even if one could, this book is beat and well below the Green Label threshold (which is typically about 4.0/4.5). 3. Multiple cut-outs that include story art (on an otherwise low-grade copy) should receive a Universal Grade 0.5 PR. Not a copy I would have certified.
  8. It looks to me like there's also a tear seal about 1" above the tape. Who knows what else a close inspection of the entire book would reveal.
  9. This is what the early Marvel comics looked like when they came off the press. The binder holes were added afterwards. You can find many low-grade copies of these issues with moderate to severe Marvel chipping.
  10. This is not correct -- Marvel chipping was/is NOT a production defect (and it is not treated as such by CGC or any reputable grader/seller). The equipment used often produced a weakness in the paper along the right edge of the front cover, but it absolutely, positively, did not result in chips. Repeated handling is what causes this weakness to morph into chips. Trust me on this -- I had a nearly complete 1959-66 run of all the Atlas fantasy and Marvel hero titles. I purchased each of these comics off the rack. Not one book had chips out at the time of purchase; but many of the books that were handled the most did develop chips over the years.
  11. The original "critical" flaw was not the back cover creasing but the front cover Marvel chipping and tear (which cannot be fixed with either a cleaning or a pressing). Remember: individual grades in the 2.0 to 4.0 range are each relatively broad. Here's an example of an AF #15 with a similar level of chipping (and I'll note that CGC tends to be a bit more lenient on the mega-keys).